Right now [press underlined links to read more about each item):

• ORCA's Vision and (Meeting minutes from 16th Feb 2009)
• Eco-living Meeting Minutes Retrofitting 10 Community Houses
• Join one of the Action Groups or form a new one
• ORCA's endorsement of Submission on draft Renewable Energy Amendment Bill 2009
• Future Coasts topographic map of impact of sea level rises South Australian border to Anglesea
• Your Submission on Heathfield Estate Community Gardens?
• Cimate Action - help write Policy

Coming soon:

Saturday 28th February: Barham River Festival Celebrate and explore your beautiful river
Sunday 22nd February from 6 - 8pm Rally at the Spring Creek Common (Surf Coast) featuring Xavier Rudd

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Spot the acronym: we aim to be acronym free. Please use the 'Have your say' box (below) to report any unexplained acronyms. Acronyms are abbreviations that are formed using the initial components in a phrase or name e.g. ORCA: Otway Ranges Climate Action
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What is ORCA about?
ORCA envisages a carbon-neutral Otway community working towards a safe climate
with
1. 100% renewable electricity for the Otways by 2020
2. 50% reduction in energy usage in the Otways by 2020
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Action Groups: Don't leave 'taking action' to others.

Please use the reply box below or contact Anna O'Brien to express your interest in participating in one or more of the Action Groups.

Government Advocacy: Magaer Lennox: magaer@iprimus.com.au
Community Engagement:
Energy:

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Eco-Living: There is the possibility of funding the retrofit of 10 community houses including the Community House in Apollo Bay. This could be used as a model for other houses in the town. Minutes of the meeting are available here eco-living-meeting-notes-mon-15-dec-2008 [Word 28KB]
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Submission on draft Renewable Energy Amendment Bill 2009

ORCA has endorsed a Joint Submission [Word 115KB] on the draft Renewable Energy Amendment Bill 2009 prepared by 58 Climate Action Groups from across the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria. These 58 groups have a combined membership of well over 13,000 people.

Tracey Tipping, Climate Action Pittwater, Policy Drafting Team, Australia’s Climate Action Summit, www.climatesummit.org.au Ph: 0411 861 269 is the contact officer for this submission. Thanks for your work on this Tracey.
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Future Coasts Program

The Future Coasts Program has released the first topographic digital elevation model (DEM) – which extends from the South Australian border to Anglesea. For more information visit the Future Coasts webpage: www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/futurecoasts – and check out the Special
Bulletin, or the DEM data access section.

This is just the first stage of the Future Coasts Program. More topographic DEM datasets will be released over the next few weeks. For more information visit the webpage.

There are maps on the site that are too large in file size to upload to this site.
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Heathfield Reserve – Submissions

Colac Otway Shire is calling for submissions for the Interim Use of what is known as the Heathfield Reserve. This land was transferred to the Apollo Bay Community as part of the Heathfield Development. It is zoned public recreation and conservation. There are questions concerning the legality of transferring this land to the Great Ocean Green Development. Until the Great Ocean Green Proposal is approved by the Minister Colac Otway Shire may permit some form of Interim Use by the Community.

One such proposal is for the establishment of Community Gardens another is for use by the Pony Club. There will be an information session at the Mechanics Hall on the Tuesday the 24th February. This is your chance to submit your proposal.
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Policy Paper on Climate Change

Over two days of the Climate Summit, the Policy Paper on Climate Change (drafted by Groups before the summit) was presented and debated.

The voting system used to decide on the acceptance or rejection of recommendations involved;

* “Green” – we support this recommendation as is, no changes required
* “Orange” – we could support this recommendation, subject to a few minor changes being made
* “Red” – we could not support this recommendation without major changes

Of the 81 recommendations put to participants, 54 recommendations received “Green” majority support. Four recommendations including recommendations around nuclear power were rejected during this session.

If you would like to be engaged on the Policy Paper and vote on future iterations as we work towards a final sign-on statement, please send an email (including your name, climate action group and why you want to join the list) to Tracey or Phillipa:

* Tracey Tipping: tracey@eternalsource.com.au
* Philippa Rowland: woodlando@optusnet.com.au

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